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Glyphbearer
GLYPHBEARER Large Construct HD: 12d10+30 (84 hp) Initiative: +2 Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares) AC: 22 (-1 size +2 Dex +11 natural), touch 11 flatfooted 20 Base Attack/Grapple: +9/+19 Attack: Slam +14 melee (1d8+6) Full Attack: 2 slams +14 melee (1d8+6) Space/Reach: 10 ft./10 ft. Special Attacks: Glyph of power, sigil spiral, spell-like abilities Special Qualities: Construct traits, darkvision 120 ft., damage reduction 5/adamantine, immunity to magic Saves: Fort +4 Ref +6 Will +4 Abilities: STR 23 DEX 15 CON - INT - WIS 11 CHA 10 Environment: Any Organization: Solitary or escort (1 plus 1-4 wizards 12th level or greater) Challenge Rating: 9 Treasure: None Alignment: Always neutral Advancement: 13-20 HD (Large) Before you stands a lean, humanoid-shaped hulk, basalt and marble poured over silver and steel to create an artistic, fluid form. Upon its chest gleams an arcane symbol, casting stark, powerful light to its fore. It bends an arm inward with proud purpose, touching the glyph with two knobby fingers, and a broad circle of runes and geometrics sears into the floor around it. While brute force is the traditional purpose of a golem, some wizards have no desire to associate themselves with such... base needs. Instead, they seek to create guardians that can compliment and even augment their own arcane prowess. Shield guardians are a common means of mage-engineers to defend themselves, but some prefer a more aggressive alternative. The glyphbearer is such an artifact, created from the infusion of masterfully shaped dweomer and a rudimentary wizard's intelligence, serving both as guardian and magical focus to practitioners of the highest Art. Glyphbearers stand 8 feet tall, and weigh up to 1,500 pounds. They can be programmed to repeat vocal messages by their controllers, but cannot speak of their own volition. Glyphbearers are keyed to an amulet in the same way shield guardians are. However, they have no innate ability to locate their masters. COMBAT Glyphbearers have a rudimentary ability to receive programming, enough to be set wiith a small routine of point-by-point combat maneuvers. They are usually encountered in the employ of wizards, either given vocal commands or programmed with an offensive sequence that augments its master's talents while bringing its own powerful ability to the fore. Glyph of Power (Su): As a move action, a glyphbearer may activate its chest symbol and cast an arcane circle about itself, 30 feet in diameter, which follows it as it moves. All spells and spell-like abilities cast within this circle are treated as if heightened two spell levels (as per Heighten Spell, without requiring higher spell slots). In addition, all spells and spell-like abilities cast within the circle which deal damage have their damage increased by 1 per each damage die rolled. The glyphbearer can activate or deactivate this circle as a move action, even if dispelled. Sigil Spiral (Su): Once per day as a move action, the glyphbearer can cause its focusing circle to flare with coruscating energy, bringing the magical energy in surrounding space into sharp clarity. Until the glyphbearer's next action, all spells and spell-like abilities cast within the circle are empowered (as the Empower Spell feat, but without requiring higher spell slots). Spell-Like Abilities (Sp): At will - magic missile; 1/day - heroism (self only). Caster level 7th. Immunity to Magic (Ex): A glyphbearer is immune to any spell or spell-like ability that allows spell resistance. In addition, certain spells and effects function differently against the creature, as noted below. A magic missile spell, or any other damaging force effect, heals a glyphbearer for 2 hit points per die of damage. However, glyphbearers cannot be healed by their own or another glyphbearer's magic missiles. A dispel magic or similar spell deals 2d6 damage to the glyphbearer and slows it for 1d6 rounds. A mage's disjunction spell forces the glyphbearer to succeed on a Fortitude save versus the spell's DC or be reduced to 0 hit points and destroyed. CONSTRUCTION A glyphbearer is crafted from basalt, marble, silver, and steel. The materials cost 15,000 gp. The creature’s master may assemble the body or hire someone else to do the job. Creating the body requires a DC 21 Craft (blacksmithing) or Craft (sculpting) check. The keyed amulet is fashioned at the same time, and its cost (20,000 gp) is included in the cost of the guardian. After the body is sculpted, the glyphbearer is animated through an extended magical ritual that requires a specially prepared laboratory or workroom, similar to an alchemist’s laboratory and costing 500 gp to establish. If the creator is personally constructing the creature’s body, the building and the ritual can be performed together. A glyphbearer with more than 12 Hit Dice can be created, but each additional Hit Die adds +5,000 gp to the market price. CL 15th; Craft Construct, Empower Spell, Heighten Spell, limited wish, heroism, magic missile, magic mouth, shield, caster must be at least 15th level; Price 145,000 gp; Cost 65,000 gp + 4,600 XP. Category:Constructs